Home > Suicide - alcohol abuse must be tackled.

[irishhealth.com] , Condon, Deborah Suicide - alcohol abuse must be tackled. (24 Jan 2013)

External website: http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=21602

The high suicide level among young Irish men could be reduced if more was done to tackle the issue of alcohol abuse, Alcohol Action Ireland has said.

The national charity, which deals with alcohol-related issues, made its comments in response to the publication of the Report on the All-Ireland Young Men and Suicide Project this week.

The report found that while the rate of male suicide in Ireland overall is relatively low in relation to the European Union (EU), ‘the rate among young males is among the highest in the EU'.

It also noted that ‘alcohol and substance misuse tend to be higher in young men and are associated with increased suicide risk'. Furthermore, impulsive behaviour associated with drinking was also seen as one of the main risk factors for suicide among young males.

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that the risk of suicide when a person is currently abusing alcohol is eight times greater than if they were not abusing alcohol.

"However, a person doesn't have to be a heavy drinker or even a regular drinker to be at risk - just one occasion of heavy drinking can reduce inhibitions enough to self-harm or act on suicidal thoughts," explained Conor Cullen of Alcohol Action Ireland.

The charity is calling for the full implementation of the Steering Group Report on the National Substance Misuse Strategy, which is almost a year old.


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